Long, long ago, a bright and energetic girl was born to a farmer and his wife. This couple loved each other very much. So, when they were blessed with a baby girl, they rejoiced greatly at such a blessing.
Unfortunately, the year before the birth of their baby, their crop was ruined by heavy rain that came at the wrong time of planting and harvesting. Thus, they were struggling to survive. Yet, the baby brought such joy to the couple. She laughed often and her smile seemed to ease the difficulties faced by the couple. They named her Yuansiao. She grew to be a beautiful lady.
One day, the Emperor passed through their village and saw this fair and happy maiden. As the Emperor had a daughter who was prone to tantrum fits, he decided to ask the couple to give their daughter to be a friend to his daughter, hoping that Yuansiao could have a positive influence upon his daughter. The couple could not refuse the Emperor, although they were heartbroken to say goodbye to their beloved daughter.
ILLUSTRATIONS: COURTESY OF EXPLORER PUBLICATIONS
(To be continued tomorrow...)
很久很久以前，有位農夫和老婆生了一個聰明又活潑的女孩，這對夫妻十分相愛，所以當他們喜獲明珠時，欣喜若狂。不幸的是，女孩出生前一年，他們的農作物被不該在耕種和收穫期降下的大雨給打壞了，所以生活很困苦。不過女孩帶給他們歡樂，她常笑，而她的微笑似乎減輕了他們的困境，他們將她取名為元宵。而她長大後成為一位美麗的女子。
有一天，皇帝經過他們村子時看見這位美麗開朗的少女，因為皇帝有一位易怒的公主，便決定要求他們將女兒送給公主做朋友，希望元宵能對公主有些正面的影響。這對夫妻沒辦法拒絕皇帝，只好心碎地向摯愛的女兒道別。
ILLUSTRATIONS: COURTESY OF EXPLORER PUBLICATIONS
(明日待續...)
8. tantrum n. — a bad temper, a behavior often characterized by yelling, screaming and kicking 發怒 (fa1 nu4) 例: Do not pay attention to that child when he has a tantrum. (那個小孩發脾氣時別太去管他。) 9. fit n. — a sudden expression of anger, usually over a situation that one is not pleased about 發作 (fa1 zuo4) 例: She had a fit when her wedding dress didn’t arrive on time. (新娘禮服未準時送達讓她大發雷霆。) 10. heartbroken adj. — having intense feelings of sorrow and sadness 心碎的 (xin1 sui4 de5) 例: After saying goodbye to her boyfriend at the airport, my heartbroken sister went shopping to help herself feel better. (我那心碎的姊妹在機場和男友道別後，便上街血拼讓自己覺得好過些。)
A: Apart from the musical Sunset Boulevard, Japanese pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki is also touring Taiwan after a 17-year wait. She’s holding two concerts starting tonight. B: Ayu has the most No. 1 hits of any Japanese solo artist, with 33 total. A: “Time” magazine even crowned her as “The Empress of Pop.” B: She staged shows in Taipei back in 2007 and 2008, causing an “Ayu fever” across Taiwan. A: Unfortunately, the singer has been deaf in her left ear since 2008, and is gradually losing hearing in her right ear. I’m so excited to see her singing in Taipei again. A: 除了音樂劇《日落大道》，日本歌后濱崎步睽違17年，今晚起在台北熱唱兩場。
Thailand and Cambodia are engaged in their worst fighting in over a decade, exchanging heavy artillery fire across their disputed border, with at least 30 people killed and tens of thousands displaced. Tensions began rising between the Southeast Asian neighbors in May, following the killing of a Cambodian soldier during a brief exchange of gunfire, and have steadily escalated since, triggering diplomatic spats and now, armed clashes. WHERE DOES THE DISPUTE ORIGINATE? Thailand and Cambodia have for more than a century contested sovereignty at various undemarcated points along their 817km land border, which was first mapped by France in 1907 when Cambodia was
Alan Turing, celebrated as the “father of computer science,” was a brilliant mathematician and scientist. Born in London in 1912, Turing showed exceptional talent in mathematics and science from a young age. At 16, he understood Albert Einstein’s work without difficulty. This intelligence carried him through studies at Cambridge University and later at Princeton University in the US, where he further explored complex mathematical theories. In 1936, Turing introduced the concept of the Turing machine, a theoretical device for solving mathematical problems. He described it as having an infinite tape on which symbols could be read, interpreted, and modified. With simple
A: After touring Taipei, the play Life of Pi is now heading to Taichung. You wanna go? B: Did you forget? We’re going to Taipei this weekend to see the musical Sunset Boulevard and go to Japanese pop diva Ayumi Hamasaki’s concert. A: Oh yeah, that’s right. The classic composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber is touring Taiwan for the first time. B: I heard that it’s adapted from a 1950 film with the same title. A: And the show will feature legendary soprano Sarah Brightman, who is finally returning to the musical stage after 30 years. We can’t miss it. A: 在台北巡演後，戲劇《少年Pi的奇幻漂流》本週起將移師台中。要去嗎？
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